The beginning of this year until now has been a whirlwind of crazy busyness and I am just now getting a chance to get caught up on blogging.
January was spent completely immersed in BYU's The Phantom of the Opera. We ran for three weeks, and I have to say it was the best experience I have ever had working on a theater production. The production was fantastic, the performances amazing, the cast incomparable, and the work a delight. I had been working on this show for over a year, and it was quite a difficult one to get over. I put my heart and soul into the work on this show and I could feel that the designers, directors, technicians, cast, and orchestra did too. It had been a while since I had worked on something that I felt so many people were so committed to (probably not since being in the Pride of Arizona Drumline). I worked hard, felt challenged, and felt immensely successful at my job. That is a wonderful feeling.
On February 2nd, the show closed, and I would no longer end the day with 1,200 people giving a standing ovation. I don't have another project in the works until Stadium of Fire, so it was back to my other job of being household manager and child nurturer. It felt so good to get caught up on those responsibilities that were neglected for a month, but I will say it was an adjustment. I do believe that the most rewarding and important work I can do in this life is at home with my husband and children. I will also say that mothers do not get the same instant gratification and feedback that working on a popular and successful show will get you. I cried for about a week. It was weird. And hard.
I am now feeling much better. I got over it and am once again focused on all the other amazing things I get to do every day. We have so much we have been learning and doing and preparing for. I will update as I can.
Here are some pictures from the wonderful production. The production photos are copyright Handleycraft Photography.
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| Caroline Morris as Carlotta in Hannibal. |
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| DeLaney Westfall singing "Think of Me" |
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| Janell Turley, Adam Purcell, and DeLaney Westfall did amazing makeup, hair, and mask designs for "Il Muto." |
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| Carlotta and Christine in "Il Muto" |
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| Sam Bostwick and Brad Robins as the opera managers, Firmin and Andre. |
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| Music of the Night |
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| Music of the Night |
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| Descending into the lair. Preston Yates and DeLaney Westfall were so amazing every single night. |
